Total Eclipse
by WritePassion
Summary: Someone admires Michael Westen, and things are getting out of hand. Another in the Sam/Yvette series. Slight revision in Chapter 6.
1. Chapter 1

****_This one may take a little longer posting chapters, as I'm working on my manuscript as well. Plus, the idea is there, but the execution of it hasn't quite hit my brain yet. I'm figuring this out as I go along, which is not unusual for me and my stories, but this seems to be coming harder than most. So, enjoy what I've already written and hopefully I'll have more up soon! _

**Total Eclipse**

By WritePassion

Like everything else she learned, Esperanza took to ice skating, soaking up the skills and practicing them over and over with an intense look on her face. When she first started, Sam thought she would enjoy it for awhile and then something else would take its place before the six weeks were up. Six months later, every Saturday morning, he took her to her lesson and watched with a few of the other parents who stuck around instead of doing their weekly shopping or whatever made them use the time as an expensive babysitting service. As he watched his daughter glide effortlessly around the ice, Sam felt a great swell of pride.

_Daddy, can I get a skating dress?_

_ Daddy, I need tights to go with the dress._

_ Daddy, I can't go to every class wearing the same leotard! And I need blade guards, a bag for my skates, and snowseal, and..._

When Michael warned him he heard figure skating was expensive, he wasn't kidding. Good thing Sam was taking jobs with Jack the past few months, or the family budget would never have been able to take the financial hit of all the costumes and accessories. As Espie skated backwards into a spiral, a skill her teacher hadn't even gone over yet, but one she saw the bigger girls accomplish, he noticed that her boots were looking worn, and he knew they were getting too small. The skates that Maddie and his dad gave her were on the way out, and a new pair was on order.

"Esperanza Axe, get over here this instant!"

Sam cringed, expecting her to lose her poise and go down on the ice, but Esperanza coolly spun out of the circle she created and went back to the far side of the ice where her class assembled. She hockey stopped and stood with her weight on one skate, arms crossed, as she listened to the instructor tell the girls how to perform a new skill. Sam could see she was bored.

"That kid is something else," a guy sitting behind Sam off to the left huffed. "Thinks she's some little prima donna out there. Hotshot."

"Maybe some kids have it, and some kids don't," Sam retorted, trying to keep the indignation out of his voice.

"I've seen her do that before. If she's so good, why's she in this class? She should get passed onto the next one."

"Which one is your kid?"

"Libby, she's over there, the one with the kitten on her shirt." He pointed to a jeans-clad little girl who looked anything but comfortable on the ice.

"How long has she been taking lessons?" _Too long, if the look on her face is any indication. _

"About six months. She's a natural at it. Her mom was a regional champion figure skater, and Libby has always wanted to follow in her footsteps...or should I say, skates." He beamed, too blind to see the truth.

_Give it a rest, mister, she's just not into it._

He was still smiling when he asked Sam, "And which one is your daughter?"

Sam glanced up at him and made eye contact before replying. "The hotshot in the pink sparkly leotard. She's also been doing this for six months."

"Oh." He shut up, rested his elbow on his knee, and laid his chin in his hand, hoping to hide the embarrassment that crept up to his cheeks. "Well, she's uh, got talent."

"Thank you."

Sam's phone rang and he picked it up. "Hey Mike...Fi? Where's Mike?" He listened for a few moments, a chill running up his spine, and it had nothing to do with the temperature in the arena. "Okay, I'll be right over as soon as Espie's figure skating class is over. Yeah, she's just finishing up. Once she gets changed, it'll be five, ten minutes tops and we'll be there. Bye, Fi." Sam stood and approached the boards. With the acoustics not being very good on the rink, he had to cup his hands and yell to his daughter as she spun around in the center. "Espie! Espie!"

Her head came up and she saw him. Quickly recovering from her spin, she skated over to him and came to a perfect stop just shy of the boards. "What is it, Dad? You look worried."

"You're done with class now, right?" She nodded. "Okay, go get changed. We have to go to Uncle Mike and Aunt Fi's loft. Right now."

When he spoke like that, she knew not to ask any questions, just move. So move she did. She darted to the gate and jumped off the ice, picked up her gear bag, and hurried to a bench. Sam met her there and helped her untie her skates.

"What happened, Daddy? Is Uncle Mike okay?"

He looked up at her. "He's fine, sweetie. We just need to get over there ASAP."

She loosened the laces on her skate and pulled it off while Sam did the other one. "You want to change," he asked.

"No, I can go like this." She stored her skates properly in the bag, slipped into her Keds, and threw a light pink filmy skirt around her waist and tied it. "Okay, Daddy, let's go."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Sam parked behind the Charger in the small courtyard and hurried over to the stairs, where Fiona crouched next to a crumpled figure.

"Oh jeez, Mike."

Fiona turned and said, "You didn't waste any time getting here, Sam."

"Are you kidding? I probably broke a few traffic laws...okay, yeah, I did." Sam looked down at his friend, bloodied and bruised, unconscious. "What happened, Fi?"

"Uncle Mike," Esperanza breathed. "Who beat him up? Nobody beats up Uncle Mike and gets away with it. Ever!"

Fiona smiled at the girl's blind devotion to her uncle. "Unfortunately, someone, or more than one, did." To Sam, she said, "You know he had that all-night surveillance out at the docks with Jack, and something happened. I don't know where Jack is, but Michael somehow got himself home just a little while ago. I heard heavy thumping coming up the stairs, and when I went to check, he took one look at me, said, 'Fi', and collapsed."

"Where's Luke?"

"Upstairs, still in his crib."

"Espie..."

Before Sam could say another word, she responded. "I'll take care of him, Dad." She slipped past Michael, a worried crease to her brow, and quickly ran upstairs. As she opened the door, they could hear the little boy's cries.

"Fi, step back. I'll get him upstairs."Sam picked up Michael, shifted his weight until he felt stable, and carefully climbed the stairs. Fiona went behind him, her hand on the small of his back. If he tipped backwards, she'd be of no help. He just knew it was something for her to do, to feel like she had some control over the situation.

She moved around him to open the door, and he nodded his thanks. Michael was getting heavy. He crossed the loft and lay him on the bed. He let out a little groan and tried to roll to his side.

"Michael," Fiona spoke softly. "Michael, talk to me, please." She pushed a lock of hair back from his face, tracing an ugly bruise at his temple.

"Man, he's lucky they didn't kill him with a blow like that," Sam muttered. "I'll get the kit."

Given the dangers in which they constantly found themselves, they kept a well stocked medical kit at the loft for emergencies such as this. During his time in the Navy, as part of his SEAL training Sam had been well-versed in the art of field medicine, and it came in handy time and time again. So as Sam pulled the bag out and set it on the table, he knew what supplies he'd need. Unless Michael had some internal bleeding, they could most likely take care of his injuries at home and not require a hospital visit. He returned with hands full to the bed and dropped everything onto the nightstand. He checked Michael's vitals, and they were a little stressed, but nothing serious. With Fi assisting, he stretched Michael out and assessed his injuries, palpating his midsection for anything unusual.

"He's lucky, Fi. Just a lot of bumps and bruises. A couple cracked ribs on his right side. Probably a concussion. But he'll be fine."

"Sam, I can take care of the rest." She held out her hand for the roll of bandages. "You call Jack, try to find him, and see if he knows what happened to Michael. Find out why he left him..."

"Fi, you don't know he abandoned Mike. Maybe something happened to him too!"

She shook her head, trying to get rid of the rising anger. "You're right, Sam. He could be out there on the docks in worse shape than Michael." Her eyes rose and met his. "Find him."

Sam nodded and stood. He went out on the balcony and tried Jack's cell. It went to voicemail. Then he tried Jack's house and Sasha picked up.

"Sash, it's Sam. Is Jack there?"

"Jack? He was on a stakeout with Michael last night. You haven't seen him?" Panic rose in her voice.

"No. I'm at the loft, and Mike's here, but Jack wasn't with him." He bit back the fear, calmed himself, and said, "Don't worry, Sash. I'll find him."

"I was always afraid something like this would happen with him getting involved in these jobs," Sasha said, and he could hear the bitterness creeping into her voice. "I told him it was crazy, and dangerous, and he had no business..." She stopped herself and let out a long breath. "I'm sorry, Sam. Maybe I'm not cut out to be the wife of a spy."

"Well, good thing he's not one then." He tried to cheer her up. "Don't worry, I'll go out to the docks and find him. I'll call you when I find out anything." He closed off the connection and entered the loft.

Esperanza sat in a chair holding Lucas, rocking him gently. He was so proud of the way she took charge of her little cousin. She offered him a biscuit to gnaw on, and despite the mess he made on her leotard, she held him close. "Honey, I want you to stay here with Aunt Fiona, okay?"

"Sure, Dad. I'll take care of Luke." She smiled at him, and he patted her head.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, Fi. Call me if you need anything."

"I will. Just find Jack."

While Sam was gone, Fiona dressed Michael's wounds and made him as comfortable as she could. He groaned now and then when she moved him and took off his shirt, exposing the large ugly bruising around his ribcage where the broken ribs lay underneath. She touched him lightly, and his eyelids fluttered open.

"Fi," Michael groaned out her name.

"Shh, Michael. You're home. You're safe."

"Jack..."

"Sam is out looking for him." She caressed his face where it wasn't swollen. "What happened to you?"

"Four guys...jumped us...got us out of the car and kicked our..."

"Michael," Fiona warned and inclined her head toward the chair where Esperanza sat.

Michael saw her staring at him and he smiled weakly and nodded to her.

Esperanza looked at him with concern in her eyes, and said, "I'm glad you're awake, Uncle Mike. We were all worried about you."

"Thanks," he replied as he lay back on the pillow.

Fiona lightly placed a cold pack on Michael's cheek, causing him to wince and take it from her. "Do you have any idea who could have done this to you? Someone you're investigating, perhaps?"

"No, we're just in the preliminary stages of our investigation. They shouldn't have a clue that we're on to anything." He paused and shook his head. "It didn't make any sense."

"Well, when Sam finds Jack and he can talk to him, maybe we'll get to the bottom of this."

Sam was gone a long time. Michael and Fiona talked awhile but eventually he was too tired to continue. He fell asleep, she covered him, and took charge of Lucas. He hadn't been fed yet, and the biscuit wasn't enough to keep him occupied. She set him in the high chair while Esperanza kept him distracted long enough for Fiona to prepare some oatmeal. Still, Sam had not returned.

"Aunt Fiona, I'm getting worried about Mr. Jack," Esperanza said as she watched Fiona feed Lucas.

Fiona turned to face her and replied, "Me too, Espie." She gave the girl a reassuring smile. "But I have no doubt that your daddy will find him."

They heard heavy footfalls on the stairs, and Esperanza leaned closer to the window at the bar and looked down. "Dad's here! He's got Mr. Jack!" She jumped off her stool and ran to the door to let them inside. Sam dragged Jack over to a cot that they kept underneath Michael's office and let him down as gently as he could.

"Sam, did he get beat up too," Fiona asked from across the room.

Catching his breath, Sam replied, "Yeah. He's been knocked around pretty good."

"Dad, can I help?"

"Espie, you just play with Lucas. Fiona and I will take care of Jack."

Fiona wiped the baby's hands and face, and took him out of his high chair. She set him on the floor in an out of the way corner where his toys were scattered about, and Esperanza sat down to keep him entertained.

While they worked on Jack, he lay still and unresponsive. "Fi, he was unconscious when I found him, and he's still out. This is not good." Sam got a soft groan when he pressed on Jack's sternum, so at least he wasn't in a coma or anything that serious. But the fact that he poked him with a needle, knowing how Jack hated needles, and he didn't resist told Sam that he was in bad shape. Fiona hung the IV on a hook in the wall and sat on a chair next to the cot. She smoothed his hair back and found another cut right along the hairline as she wiped the blood off his face. His features were obscured by the stains, and it was the only way to find the wounds..

"That one looks like it'll need some stitches," she muttered as she probed the edges.

"I just want to get him stable first. Then we'll worry about sewing him up." In the end, Sam counted twenty stitches covering Jack's scalp, face, and arm. He had various bruising all over his body. As Michael and Jack were still out, he and Fi regrouped at the bar. She picked out a yogurt from the fridge, and he joined her with one of his own.

"I really wish I knew what happened to them," Sam spoke softly, hoping Espie wouldn't hear their conversation. "Somebody really kicked their asses, but why?"

"Maybe an old enemy of Michael's?"

"We've got nothing until one of them wakes up and tells us something more than a bunch of guys." Sam leaned against the bar, elbows on the surface, and let out a deep breath. "I'm thinking I should go through our case files, see if I can find anything recent that might have sparked this, but Fi, I'm worried about leaving you alone with two incapacitated men. What if these guys know where Mike lives and come back to finish the job when I'm gone?"

"Call Samuel. Maybe he can get them for you and bring them here."

"Only I have a key to that drawer."

"Oh, like he's not capable of picking a lock?" She smiled.

"I have a better idea." He slipped his keys out of his pocket and handed them to her. "Take my car, go to my house, and get everything in the bottom left drawer in my desk. This one is the desk key. It's all the old stuff going back to just before Lucas was born. I know Mike wasn't involved in a lot of those cases, but you never know. And the new ones are in the drawer right above it. Oh, hey, grab my journal while you're at it. It's laying on top of the new files." He paused and glanced at Esperanza. "And Fi, take Espie with you. If something goes down, I don't want her here."

Fiona nodded and grabbed her hip pack. "Come on Espie, I'm taking you home."

"Be careful, Dad," the little girl said as she hugged her father.

"I will, honey." He hugged her back. "Fi, be careful. Make sure nobody's tailing you."

With a sigh, Fiona cocked her head. "Do you really have to remind me, Sam? Seriously?" She shook her head and reached out for Esperanza's hand. "Come along, sweetheart. Let's get you home." They walked to the door, she opened it, and said, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

"Thanks, Fi. Tell Eve not to worry."

She smirked. "I will."

_Not that it will make any difference._ Sam sighed as the door closed, and he moved to lock it behind her. He heard her talking to Esperanza as they got into the car. The engine started up, and she backed out onto the street. He watched them drive away and then turned to Lucas, who sat on the floor playing with a stuffed toy. "Well, looks like it's just you and me kid, to take up guard duty."

Lucas smiled and babbled at him. Sam smiled, remembering how not too long ago Samuel did the same thing whenever he talked to him. He approached the child and picked him up.

"Uhoh, I should have had your mommy check you before she left." Careful to avoid the wetness seeping through the baby's diaper, he carried Lucas over to the changing table to take care of business. As he finished the job, taping the diaper in place, he heard feet on the stairs. "Fi?" He turned, but there was no one at the door. It was still closed and locked, as far as he could see from his vantage point. "Huh. Well, let's just see if we can see who was there..." He looked out the window and caught the backside of a woman running for the open gate.

"Sam..."

Sam turned and saw Michael trying to get up. "Mike, great timing! Here, you hang onto Lucas, I need to check on something. Be right back." He put the boy on the bed next to his father and ran for the door. Quickly, he unlocked it, ran down the stairs, and got out to the street just in time to see an old beater speed away. He got a partial plate number and burned it into his memory. Then he ran back to the loft, and on his way inside he found an envelope with his footprint pressed into it. The open grating embossed itself into the paper. He picked it up by the corner and brought it inside.

"Mike, I missed whoever it was, but they left something for you," Sam said as he brought the envelope to his friend.

Michael saw it and groaned, fell back into the pillow, and threw an arm over his eyes. "Another one."

"Another one, what?"

"It's nothing, Sam. Just some woman who thinks she's...she's my fan. Can you believe it?" He laughed weakly.

"Your fan? How the hell would someone become your fan? Not that you're not fan worthy, Mike, but jeez...that's just...weird." He examined the pink envelope. A faint scent of lilacs emanated from it. "Does Fi know about this?"

"No."

"I take it this isn't the first time she's delivered something to your doorstep."

"No, actually, it is."

Sam sat down in a chair near the bed and leaned forward, elbows on knees. "Okay, tell me how this all started."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"A few weeks ago we were doing that job, the one for that daycare lady who was ripped off." Michael began as he tried to sit up, but Sam held him down.

"Yeah, I remember the job, but Mike, you should stay down. It decreases the likelihood of you passing out on the floor."

Michael looked up at him and saw the seriousness in his eyes, so he complied. "Okay. Um, anyway, while I was out doing some intelligence gathering, there was this woman..." He paused to take a breath. "She, uh, was almost hit by a car as she was crossing the street, but I pulled her back. Saved her life."

"Sounds like a typical Michael Westen day," Sam teased.

"I thought that was the end of it, Sam, but then I started seeing her in other places. It was like she was just there, but too convenient to be coincidence, and yet...it's not like my schedule was consistent enough for her to pick up on." He paused, closed his eyes, and rubbed them with the fingers of one hand. "She was watching us last week when we were at Carlito's. I saw her hiding behind a planter and some trees. You and Fi left, and she walked by like she just happened to be there, and she sat down. I told her I was in the process of leaving." He opened his eyes and locked on Sam's. "She bought me a drink to thank me for saving her life."

"Jeez. You didn't actually drink it, did you?" Sam enjoyed free drinks as much as the next guy, but not if it was from a strange woman.

"I don't think she even realized that I never touched it." He shook his head. "She sat there going on and on, telling me how great I was helping all these people. I don't know how she knew about all this stuff, but she gave me details. Details only you, Fi and I know."

"Okay, this is getting officially creepy, Mike. You should have said something. Fi and I would have gotten your back on this."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, Michael replied, "But the thing is, there wasn't a whole lot to do. I figured that eventually she'd get bored and move on."

"She didn't, though." Sam got up and went to the fridge for something to drink.

"No." Michael carefully sat up, took Lucas and set him on his lap, and once the room stopped spinning, he continued. "I went to the post office to check on a clue for the case, and she left an envelope on a table, right there in the lobby. I saw it as I was leaving, and it had my name on it."

"Mike, you definitely should have told us then! She's some psycho, a stalker!" Sam glanced at the envelope on the night stand. "What was inside?"

"A letter. It read like something someone would send a celebrity. I know I should have taken it seriously, but the whole thing was just too ridiculous." He shook his head. "I'm sorry, Sam. I should have asked for help."

"Well, you're a smart guy. I know you won't make that mistake twice." He handed Michael a glass of juice.

They heard footsteps, and Sam slid the safety off his gun as he took a defensive position near the door. If anyone stormed in, he would be ready. The lock turned, and the door squeaked as Fiona pushed against it. She saw him and said, "Sam, would you stop gawking and help me with this?" Her arms were loaded with the files he asked her to get.

"Sorry, Fi." He locked down his gun, stuffed it into his waistband, and moved forward. "I should have warned you they're kind of bulky." He grabbed the door and let her inside. "Did you talk to Eve at all?"

"She knows you're on a case and she shouldn't worry, but I'm afraid you'll have to depend on Espie keeping her lips zipped." Yvette was her friend, and she tried to shield her from this unstable situation, but Sam's wife was just too smart for her own good at times. "If not, she'll probably be calling you, grilling you for information."

"Nice." He grabbed the files and set them on the bar. "Never mind these, Fi. Mike has a problem that he neglected to tell us about." He extended and arm to Michael. "Okay Mike, tell her what you told me." From the shadows under Michael's office, they heard Jack stirring. "That's my cue. You kids talk." Sam hurried over to his friend's side to check on him while Michael got Fiona up to speed on his stalker lady.

"Axeman," Jack greeted him, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Just lay still, Jack. You've been beat up pretty bad." He suddenly remembered that he promised to call Sasha. "I haven't let Sasha know yet. I was hoping you'd wake up first and you could tell her yourself that you're okay."

"Am I that bad?" He glanced up at the bag hanging over his head.

"Yeah. You were out for a long time. You should really go to the hospital. It's safe enough. It's not like you're Mike, with a lot of enemies."

"Unless those guys who beat us up were after me."

Sam gave him a sidelong glance. "What are you talking about, Jack?"

"When they thought we were both unconscious, one of them said something about a woman wanting me out of the way."

"Why?"

"I don't know, man." He shook his head and tried to think. "This probably has nothing to do with it, but...something weird happened not too long ago."

"Weird? How?" Sam felt uneasy.

"There was this chick who approached me after we finished the daycare lady job."

Sam nodded. "Yeah, Mike was just talking about that one. So what did she want?"

"She wanted me to give Mike something. It was a little box, but I don't know what was in it. I asked her what it was and why, but she was really coy about it." He stopped speaking, trying to get his breath. He ran his hand over his chest, touching the places where it hurt. "She, uh, she just said it was important that Mike got the package. It was a thank you gift. I thought maybe it had something to do with the job...so I was a little jealous, you know, that she didn't include us...but I delivered it to Mike at Carlito's before our debrief."

"Did you see what was inside it?"

"No, he didn't open it there. Just took it with him."

Sam could see the short interview was wearing on Jack, so he patted his shoulder. "Okay, that's enough for now. Just lay here and rest. I'll call Sasha and tell her you're here."

"She's going to get frantic and come over, you know." Jack shifted a little on the narrow cot and winced at the sharp pain he got for his trouble.

"Maybe that's not such a bad idea if these guys are after you, they may be watching her. Watching all of our families." He glanced at the bed and saw Mike sitting up again. This time, Fiona was there beside him, her arm around his waist. He couldn't see Lucas, but he suspected they had him in front of themselves.

"I think they just wanted Mike and me. The one guy said to teach him a lesson." He shrugged carefully, afraid to cause himself more pain. "I don't know what he was trying to teach him. They just beat the crap out of us and left us there."

Sam cocked an eyebrow. He still wasn't certain that the two incidents were interrelated. "You're assuming these guys had something to do with this woman?" One thing he did know: you never assume. It might blind you to what is really happening.

"I don't know, Sam." He shook his head, his voice ragged and full of fatigue. "I don't know."

Sam patted his shoulder. "It's okay, just rest. We'll talk more later, and maybe you can remember something else from this incident."

"Yeah. Thanks for the help, Axeman." Jack closed his eyes and was asleep almost instantly.

Sam called Sasha and gave her the news. "Sash, it's Sam. I found Jack...now, don't worry, he's here at Mike and Fi's, and I'm taking good care of him."

"How bad is he?" Despite his assurances, she sounded scared. Until she and Jack had moved to Miami and he started helping Sam and his friends, she led a pretty quiet life with her man. Now it seemed as if everything was turned upside down on a regular basis.

"He's been beaten up pretty good, but he'll live. I've got him on an IV and some pain killers."

"No morphine. You know he's allergic," Sasha exclaimed, her voice shaking slightly.

"Yeah, I know. We've got it covered." Thanks to a former client of theirs, they were able to get access to medicines that were never found in the average medicine cabinet unless prescribed. Sam knew how to use them safely. "He's resting right now."

"Fine. I'll be there shortly."

"Sash, you don't have to. I'll bring him home as soon as he can be mobile."

"No, I'm leaving the house right now, and I'll be there soon." She could be just as stubborn as Jack sometimes.

"Okay, just be careful. He's fine, he's not going anywhere, and we're keeping an eye on him, me and Fi."

"Thank you, Sam. I'm glad he's got you looking out for him." A hint of a sniffle passed over the phone line.

"Drive safe, Sasha. We'll see you in a bit."

Sam closed the connection, rubbed his eyes and rejoined Fiona and Michael, who was again in a prone position. "Jack is beat up, but he'll recover. Sasha is on the way, despite my trying to tell her he would be fine and I'd take him home when he was able to be moved." Sam studied Michael, then Fiona. "Okay Fi, did he tell you everything?"

"Yes, and we opened this letter." Her nose wrinkled. "She sounds pretty sad and pathetic, not like someone who might hire thugs to beat up the object of her admiration."

"Mike, what was in the package?"

"Package? What package?" When he saw the hard stare Sam gave him, Michael knew it was useless, and dangerous, to lie to his friend. He let out a long breath and replied. "It was a pair of sunglasses, just like the pair I wear all the time."

"The ones that got damaged in that job," Sam finished as he nodded. "I was wondering how you replaced them so fast."

"I checked them for a booby trap or a listening device. You know I was careful, and when they seemed safe, I decided not to look the proverbial gift horse in the mouth anymore and wore them."

"Where are they now?"

Michael shrugged. "My suit jacket pocket, I think."

"All his clothes are over on that chair," Fiona said, pointing to the heap flung over the back.

Sam approached them, rifled through his pockets, and found the glasses. One arm was bent slightly, and a lens cracked. As he studied the arm intently, he found something. "Crap, Mike, this has got to be the tiniest bug I've ever seen!" He brought the glasses to the bed and showed him a thin wire that had been fused to the sunglasses. "There's your bug. That's how she knew where you were all the time."

"I've never seen anything that small before." Fiona shook her head. "Just who are we dealing with here?"

"I have no idea who would even have something that sophisticated. And why would they bother?" Michael clamped his eyes shut. Just thinking about it caused his head to ache.

Sam absently played with the glasses as he spoke. "I think this might be more than just a simple stalking, Mike. Somebody wants you on their side, and they're getting desperate." He was jumping to conclusions, the very thing he tried not to do, but at this point it was just too easy.

"Oh great, another Carla," Fiona muttered.

"Not necessarily, but I wouldn't be surprised," Sam said. He looked down at Michael and noted that his friend had gone back to sleep again. "Fi, maybe you should take Lucas and Sasha over to my house to keep an eye on her, Eve, and the kids. At least until this all blows over."

"Or blows up. Sam, you're going to need help. You can't watch over Michael and Jack and investigate this situation as well!"

"I'll call Jesse. You know he'll help."

Fiona nodded, still not quite satisfied, but resigned to Sam's decision. "You'll call if you need backup."

It wasn't a request. Sam nodded.

"And I'll be back once things are locked down at your house."

"Fi..."

"Sam! I'm here!"

"I better go let her in." Fiona smiled at Sam as if the matter was settled, and she hurried to the door.

Sam looked down at his friend and shook his head, whispering, "Mikey, what on earth have you gotten yourself into?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

It took a lot of convincing from Fiona, Sam, and Jack to get Sasha to go to Sam's house with Fiona and Lucas. When the women were gone, Michael got himself out of bed. Sam sat at the bar poring over the files on the daycare case, looking for something that might tie in to the stalker lady. He heard feet shuffling, his head jerked up, and he stared at Michael as he went around the bar to get a yogurt from the fridge.

"Mike, you should be in bed."

"Later. You find anything in the files?"

"No, at least nothing that would blatantly point to our suspect. This is all just case related stuff." Sam shook his head. "I don't get how a chance meeting on the street could evolve into this. And coming up with that bug idea, that was brilliant. I mean, how many civilians would think of that?"

"Maybe she's not a civilian. Or she was in the military, or a government agency..."

"Good point, but until we have a name, trying to get into personnel records could take forever." Sam scribbled on a pad of paper. "You never gave me a description of her, Mike. What did she look like? That might be a start."

"She was blonde, brown eyes. I think the hair color was natural. She had a clear complexion, and a warm skin tone." Michael gave him a well detailed description, including things that most people would never consider mentioning. "She had a little scar on the top of her lip that she tried to hide with makeup. It didn't work very well. She wore a cheap watch on her right wrist, but she didn't appear to be left handed. Her clothes were clean, not stylish or out of date, just...plain, no patterns or bright colors."

"That's a lot of info, Mike. At least now I can picture her in my head, and if I come across any photographs or anything with her in them, I can point them out to you." He rubbed his tired eyes. "I have a feeling she's known about you long before this one case. Who knows, she may turn up in surveillance photos."

"We need to find her and track her for awhile," Michael said as he dug into his yogurt.

"Great. How do we do that? She knows all of us, so trying to follow her is out of the question." He sighed, closed the folder and pushed it aside. "The longer I look at this file, the more convinced I am that this has nothing to do with your stalker. I just wish we had something that did. I told Fi I would call Jesse for help. It sounds like this is something he could do."

Michael nodded. "I guess it's a good thing he hasn't been able to help us for awhile. Give him a call, Sam. See if he's available. I'll give him what I know about her and hopefully he can go from there."

Sam gazed at Michael with a serious expression. "But you know he's going to have to do this practically on his own. If any one of us starts hanging around with him and she sees us, it'll blow everything."

"Yeah, I know." Michael was thinking. Sam had a bad feeling about what he might be considering. "With Fiona and Sasha over at your house...do you think Yvette might be willing to help out on this one?"

"What?" His brow creased as he replied, "No way, Mike! What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking that we let Jesse have a couple of days to get some information on this woman. By then I should be okay enough to get out in the open again. You and I hang out at Carlito's, make it look like we're doing a job, and see if she starts following us. If she does, then Jesse follows her."

"So how does Eve fit into this?"

"Yvette could just meet my stalker somewhere and start up a conversation about me, make her think she's also a fan."

Sam frowned. "I'm not liking this plan, Mike. This could get really dangerous." He closed the file and set it on top of the others. "What if she knows that Eve's my wife? Her cover will get blown immediately."

"We want to find out what her true motive is." He paused and scraped out the bottom of his yogurt cup, pulled out the spoon, and sucked on the remnants before continuing. "I'm afraid it's a risk we have to take."

"No, there's no we about this. It's Eve who would be taking the risk, and I'm not gonna let my wife stick her neck out like that!"

"If she's just a fan, there's no risk, but if there's something else going on..."

"No. I don't like that something else part. It's been awhile since we trained Eve in spy craft, and I don't want her walking into this inexperienced and blind. And besides, if we want this to work, I have to stay away from her for the next few days. How will we be able to brief her and get her ready?"

"I trust Fi will be only too happy." Michael smiled. "She taught Yvette how to shoot, remember?"

"Yeah." Sam let out a deep sigh. "I think we better just sleep on this tonight and maybe in the morning we can come up with a better plan." He got off the stool and made sure the loft door was secure, and he closed and locked the balcony doors. A cool breeze was coming in, and a storm front was brewing. Lightning flashed in the distance. "You better get back to bed, Mike. Get some rest." He checked on Jack, who had more periods of wakefulness since that first time, but he was asleep at the moment. "Night."

"Night, Sam."

Sam took the steps up to Michael's office and crashed on the couch. He was tired but restless, and after hearing Michael's plan, it was no wonder. It didn't help that he missed their evening routine at home, so he called Yvette, hungering to hear her voice.

"Hello, Sam?"

"Hi honey, it's me."

"Is everything okay? Sasha and Fi told me about what happened. How are Michael and Jack?"

"They're going to be okay. You know Mike, he's already been up and around a little. Jack, well, give him another day or so and he'll probably be up too."

"Fi said some woman has been tracking Michael. Sam, I think I've seen her."

"What? What do you mean? Has someone been watching the house?"

"No," he could hear by her tone that she was smiling. "You know Mrs. Petersen would report anything unusual. Shortly after you had that daycare case, I was out with Samuel and saw you all at Carlito's. I was going to stop by and say hello, but I noticed something strange."

"Go on."

"There was a woman hiding behind a huge potted plant, one of those things along the side of the building."

"What did she look like?" He sat up, listening to her give virtually the same description that Michael gave him, only a little less detailed.

"She was just standing there, watching you all, but I think she had her sights on Michael. She was looking right at him. Staring intently. It was weird. So, when I saw her, I just surveyed for awhile. I sat on a bench across the street and helped Samuel eat a slushie, all the while keeping an eye on her. When you and Fi left and she approached Michael, I thought my suspicions were confirmed, that she just wanted an audience with him and that would be that."

"You should have said something."

"I didn't really know what to make of it. I guess I always figured that Michael might have some admirers, people who were grateful for his service to them, and that maybe their admiration might extend to such lengths."

"This has gone beyond just admiration, Eve. She's been giving him gifts, letters...it's crazy."

"Yes, it is, Sam. The woman needs professional help." Yvette sighed. "I'm sorry, honey. I should have said something sooner. I just don't get what Jack and Michael getting beat up had to do with this. She's just a fan."

"Fans do weird things, Eve."

"If she's that dangerous..." She let out another heavy breath. "Be careful, sweetheart."

"I will. Listen, Mike had an idea that I'm not too crazy about, but I'll run it by you anyway and see what you think." He hesitated, not sure he really wanted to go there, but he'd already opened the door.

"You know I'll do whatever I can."

_Yes, and that's what scares me the most! _Aloud, he said, "Okay, he wants you to make friends with this woman, pretend you're a Michael Westen fan too."

"Intriguing idea, but what if she feels like she has an exclusive right and I would be threatening her special relationship with him?"

"My thoughts exactly." He couldn't help but smile. "You and I think too much alike sometimes, Eve."

She chuckled, but quickly sobered. "We'd have to tread lightly on this. When and where should I be?"

"I have to talk to Jesse and see if he can track her down. In a couple days Mike should be okay to walk around, and we'll get the plan in motion." He told her what Michael proposed, and by the time he was finished, she was as cautious as he, but willing to try.

"I just hope this is all that it seems on the surface, Sam. If he's got another recruiter on his tail...I don't know if Fiona would take it very well."

"I know. None of us wants that."

"Okay, let me know when you need me."

He smiled. "I need you right now, baby. But as far as this case goes..."

"You're so sassy!" She laughed. "I love you, honey. Sleep well."

"Love you too. And you do the same. Let me know if you come up with any ideas."

After he hung up, Sam sat back against the couch and let a wave of weariness pass before he called Jesse. It was late, but he was certain when he told him what was going on, Jesse would be all in. And he was not disappointed.

"I'll start on this tomorrow," he promised Sam. "I can work this the same time I'm doing a case for my boss."

"Are you sure? Don't want you to get into trouble."

"Hey, trouble and I are like best friends." He laughed.

"Okay. Thanks, Jesse. I don't know what Mike'll want to pay you for this..."

"Pay? I don't do this for money, Sam. You all are my friends, and I'll do whatever it takes to get this woman off Mike's back and if the beatings are related, make sure whoever did them is stopped."

"Thanks, Jesse. You're a good man. We miss you."

"Thanks, Sam. I appreciate that. I'll see what I can dig up, and I'll talk to you soon."

"Sounds good, but we better make it over the phone. Don't want to run the risk of this woman seeing you with us and putting two and two together."

"Understood. Night, Sam."

"Night, Jesse."

After he hung up, Sam felt he could finally lay down. He'd done all he could at that point to protect his friends. They had a plan in place to trap the fan, and hopefully that would be all she was. If things ran deeper... He really didn't want to think about that right now. As he settled into the couch, the lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. A quick evening storm passed overhead, and he hoped that the storm in Michael's life would slip by just as quickly with little or no collateral damage.

While they slept, a lone figure crouched under a work table in the courtyard, taking shelter from the rain. She looked up at the stairs, formulating a plan. Michael was vulnerable right now, and the only way to help him was to get his friends out of the way first. She paid those goons good money to take care of the one guy and to hurt Michael just enough so he would need her. But from what she'd seen, that meddling Sam guy got involved and ruined things. She should have thought of that before. They would all have to go. Eliminate every one. Then Michael would be free and she would have him all to herself.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

In the morning, no one had a better plan, but at least Michael and Jack were able to move around, despite Sam's urgings for them to rest. There was no time for leisure. Michael was determined to get on the trail of the woman who wouldn't leave him alone.

"Did you call Jesse yet to see if he had anything?"

"Come on, Mike, it's barely ten. I can't imagine he'd have much." Sam opened the fridge and looked inside for a few seconds. In the past, he would have been looking for a beer or a yogurt. Now, he was just looking for something. What it was, he wasn't sure, but he did know one thing. "You're out of oranges, Mike. And I think you got the last of the yogurt."

"Yeah, Fi was going to do a grocery run today. Sorry."

"No problem. I think it would be pretty safe for you guys to stay here while I go run to the market, huh?"

"Sure, Sam. I'm going to go do some poking around the internet a little. See if I can find something on this bug." He held the sunglasses in his hand and played with the broken piece. "This is really high tech, so I might have to use my clearance to get into the CIA files and see if they have any intel on it."

"Good idea. That'll keep you out of trouble until I get back." Sam grinned and headed for the door. "Talk to you later. Lock up after me!" At the door, he stopped. "Oh hey, I need to borrow the Charger. Fi took my car, remember?"

"Keys are on the workbench," Michael replied as he walked across the room toward the bed.

"Hey Axeman, get some beer while you're out!"

Sam nodded as he swiped the keys off the bench top, waved, and closed the door. He trotted down the stairs and squinted in the bright sunlight. Puddles from last night's storm still held out on the pavement, the high humidity giving them life for just a few more hours until the sun dried them. He reached the bottom of the stairs and walked over to the Charger. As he did so, he kept his eyes roving around, checking the areas where someone could possibly hide. Under a workbench near the shed, he saw something that caught his eye. He was almost inside the car, but he left the door open and decided to check out what he'd seen.

He crouched down and looked underneath the table. There was nothing attached beneath it, but it was something shiny on the ground that caught his eye. He pulled out a handkerchief and picked up a silver tube. Lipstick. He glanced at the end and read the label. "Passion Punch. Huh, kind of a dorky name for a lipstick shade." Sam stood, retreated to the Charger and pulled out a small ziplock bag from the glove compartment. He dropped the lipstick tube inside and sealed it. Then he returned to the workbench with a camera. He saw footprints in the sand and grit underneath. By the width of the sneaker print, it was probably a woman, size 9 or 10. He measured them with a small tape he kept in his pocket and took pictures.

As much as he liked seeing some evidence, Sam felt uneasy. This woman did indeed know where Michael lived, and she'd been watching last night. She was probably the one who delivered the letter. So far she'd taken the initiative and done everything herself, except for the beatings. She was bold, but when it came to the heavy duty work, she was either incapable or didn't have the guts.

"Oh crap," Sam muttered and whipped out his phone. He jiggled a knee impatiently while he waited for Jesse to pick up. "Jesse, it's Sam. I found out our stalker chick was here last night at the loft. I've got some stuff I'm going to bring over to your work, but I'm not going to stay. Don't want to take a chance that she follows me to see what I'm up to. Then I've gotta get back here fast, because I think I know why she had Mike and Jack beat up." He paused. "She wanted to come here and take care of him herself."

"What, kill him? Why?"

"No! She wanted to play nurse and help him get better!"

"Okay, that's pretty weird." Jesse paused a moment in thought. "Sam, I don't think you should be going anywhere. Leave the evidence outside the gate at Mike's and I'll come pick it up."

"Nah, too risky. There's a gang box about a half block from here on a construction site. They're working right now, but I think I can get over there, tuck the lipstick and the camera up into a crevice in the lid. Then you can slip it out of there. Sound like a plan? That way you're nowhere near the loft in case she's around."

"Sounds good."

"Thanks, Jesse. I'm on my way over there right now." All the while he walked toward the construction site, he watched around him for any sign of the car he saw yesterday, or a blond haired, brown eyed woman. He saw neither. When he arrived at the site, he found the workers too busy to be concerned with a guy hanging around the entrance, slipping something into the large equipment box that was tethered to the chain link fence. He left without anyone giving him a glance.

When Sam returned, he was glad to see Jack sitting at the bar having some breakfast and Michael was up in his office on the computer. Sam sat beside his friend and asked, "How are you feeling this morning? I see you took out the IV."

"Yeah, I don't need it anymore. I'm good." He let out a little sound as he shifted and massaged his back with a hand. "It's not like when we were younger. Remember? We'd go out on shore leave, get toasted, and get into a rumble. Next day we'd be up at dawn doing an extraction." He shook his head. "Those were the days, huh?"

Sam chuckled. "Yeah. Maybe it's just old age, but I kind of like the way things are now. We were too crazy back then. And stupid." He fell silent, thinking about the things they did in their down time. With age and a shift in what he considered valuable in his life, he looked back on those days with a bit of disgust.

"I suppose, settling down and having a family can change a man's perspective," Jack stated wisely, again putting his finger on his friend's thoughts.

"How do you do that? You've always been able to read my mind," Sam said as he shook his head. "It's like my wife, only she's a lot cuter."

Jack laughed, regretting it, holding his side. "We worked together too long, Axeman. That's what it is." He settled down and took a bite of his toast and chewed. "You found something out there this morning, didn't you?"

"Yeah. A tube of lipstick and footprints. I took some pictures. Jesse should have the tube and the camera in his possession by now."

Jack nodded. "Maybe he can lift some prints off the 'stick."

"If the rain didn't wash anything off, but it was under the table, and that protected it somewhat. I'm betting we'll find something to work with."

Michael's phone rang. From where they were, they couldn't hear his conversation, so Sam got up and went toward the stairs. As his friend hung up, Sam asked, "Who was that?"

"My girlfriend."

"Oh come on, Mike. That's not even funny."

Michael got out of his chair and came downstairs. "It was her, Sam. She's got my number now."

"Great."

"I didn't talk long. Asked her to stop bothering me, not like that'll work." He took his phone and threw it against the cement wall with as much force as he could muster. It hit and shattered into pieces that fell in a scattered field on the floor. "Guess I need to get a new phone! Mind if I borrow yours to call Fi?"

"Go ahead, brother." Sam handed him the phone and climbed the stairs. "I have to check on that plate from the car that left here yesterday. See if I can get a hit." He still had the numbers in his head, and with all the drama yesterday, he hadn't had time to check on anything.

The computer was on, so Sam opened the browser and logged into the DMV. Thanks to his clearance, he had access to this site and others that would help them in their investigations. In a very short time he had a list of over one hundred vehicles within the state that had the same number combination. Then he narrowed it down to the type of vehicle it was, and the color, and he was left with four. Of those, only two were registered in the Miami area.

"I've hit the jackpot, Mikey." Sam held aloft a sheaf of papers. "I ran the plate on that car I saw leave here yesterday, and I came up with two in metro Miami. This one is registered to a Marlo Caruso. Blonde, brown eyes, twenty six years old. She works at Cade Industries, an electronics firm that does a lot of defense contract work...and some hush-hush projects for the intelligence branch of the government." He dropped the papers onto the bar. "The other one is registered to an Asian guy." He tapped the top sheet. "This is her, Mike. I'm feeling pretty good about that."

"That was too easy, Sam." Michael shook his head.

"Yeah, well, when you've got resources like I have resources..."

"No, what I mean is, what if this is what she wanted us to find?"

"Like feed us some bad intel so we go off track, huh? Hey, you were a pro at that sort of thing, Axeman." Jack took a sip of his coffee as he studied the drivers license photo. "Then again, maybe she's just that stupid. Hey, I've seen this chick before."

"Where," Michael asked, leaning on the bar.

"At Carlito's. Sash and I were there by ourselves, and there was this woman off in a corner. Sash said she felt like someone was watching us, and when I glanced around stealthily, there she was. I made eye contact with her, and she just smiled like it was a coincidence." He shook his head. "She must be staking out the place because she knows it's where you meet people."

"I don't envy you, Mike. This woman is on you at all times," Sam said as he shook his head. "I wonder if she's working right now?" He took his phone from Michael and dialed the number for Cade Industries. When someone picked up, he spoke. "Hi, I'd like to know if Marlo Caruso is in today?" He listened briefly. "Oh, okay, thanks. I'll try another day. Thank you."

"She's not there?"

"No, Jack. She called in sick."

"Oh, she's sick alright. Sick in the head," Jack retorted as he shook his head. "We gotta get out of here and find her."

"Jesse is working on it. Just be patient," Michael admonished him as he pressed his hands into the side of the bar. "But you've got a point. How are you feeling, Jack? Up to lunch at Carlito's?"

Jack quickly glanced at his half eaten toast and looked back up at Michael with a grin. "You buying, Mike?"

Michael returned the grin. "I suppose so. Let's get out there and give Miss Caruso something to look at. I need to buy a new phone while we're out. And we need to contact Jesse and see if he found anything yet that'll corroborate what we have."

"Alright, just let me get dressed and I'll be ready to go."


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Hey Mike, before we leave, maybe you better booby trap the place, just in case psycho lady decides to break in." He winked. "Remember that little trick with the shotgun?"

"Yeah, not a bad idea, Sam." Michael smiled. "Good thing I never took out the eye hooks from the wall." Within a matter of minutes he had the shotgun rigged up. Meanwhile, Sam called Maddie and Samuel, warning them not to try to get in. Then he called Jesse.

"Hey Sam, got the stuff. It was right where you said you'd leave it, although I did have to dodge the foreman." Jesse answered. "He started asking me why I was poking around the gang box, and I gave him some story about inspecting it, looking for flaws, 'cause there was a recall out on them."

Sam laughed. "That's a good one, Jess. Did he go for it?" While he listened to Jesse, he went to Michael's office.

"Oh yeah, it was a slam dunk. So anyway, I've got the lab working on the lipstick pulling prints and DNA, and I sent the photos to the imaging department. I should have them back soon, and reading the prints, well, we'll see how long that takes. DNA'll take a bit longer."

"Yeah, well, if it helps any, we discovered that this woman could possibly be an employee of Cade Industries." He looked to see that Michael was just placing the counterweight on his trap. "So if you can get access to the employee records, you'll have a set of prints to work off for Marlo Caruso."

"You got a name and her place of employment? What do you need from me?"

"Proof that it was Marlo who left that lipstick here last night."

"Okay," Jesse replied. Sam could hear him tapping on a keyboard. "I'll keep working on this and let you know what I get, okay?"

"I just e-mailed you the stuff we have so far, and now we're going over to Carlito's, hoping that she'll show up. Whatever you do, don't come over here and try to get in, unless you want a new hole in your head."

Jesse laughed. "Thanks for the warning, Sam."

"I'll talk to you later," Sam ended the conversation as he stepped down to the main level.

"Sam, can I have my keys back?" Michael held out his hand.

"Oh yeah, sure. You sure you're okay to drive, Mike?"

Michael locked up the loft and replied, "I'm fine." Sam saw the raw determination in his friend's eyes. Even if he wasn't fine, he would not be deterred in seeking out this woman and ending this once and for all.

As the trio approached the car, Sam held out his arm and stopped them. "You know, after the sunglasses, I've gotta wonder if the car is bugged."

Sighing, Michael stared at the car. "You're right. I guess we better check before we go anywhere."

The three went over the car thoroughly, and Michael was almost disappointed that they didn't find anything. He expected more from his little psycho woman. He sat in the driver's seat, ran his hands over the steering wheel one more time, expecting to find something miniscule like the sunglass bug. Nothing.

"I think we're clean, Mike," Jack said as he carefully straightened. He winced. "Sam, do you mind letting me ride up front? I don't think I can take any more bending myself into a pretzel just to sit in the back seat."

"No problem," Sam replied as he stuck his foot in behind the front seat. His body hung half in, half out as he happened to glance down at the small strip of carpeting between the seat and the rocker panel. "Uhoh, wait a second." He bent over, pulled back the loose carpeting, and found a small transmitter. He pulled on it and it came up easily, and he held it aloft. "Okay, now we're clean! I think." He handed the bug to Jack and finished getting into the car.

Jack studied it carefully. "Not sure how to disable this one. Oh, wait, I found the power supply." It was so tiny, it required a fine tool. "Hey Mike, you got any lock picking tools on you?"

"Here," Sam said as he passed his set to Jack.

"Thanks." It didn't take Jack long to pry open the compartment and remove the small button battery inside. "There, now we can talk safely."

"Looks like another one of those high tech devices. You'd think her employer would miss these little toys she's taking," Sam said.

"If she works in R & D, she knows what they're working on, and she could easily take something, leave it off an inventory log," Michael said as he started the car.

Sam's phone rang. "Yeah, Fi."

"Where's Michael? Why can't I get anything but his voicemail?"

Sam cringed. She wasn't happy, but he knew she would calm down once she knew the situation. "Well, Mike had to trash his phone. The stalker had his number, not to mention the fact that she could use it to trace him, and us, if we were on the move. So it's laying on the loft floor right now in a bunch of itty bitty pieces." He paused. "Oh, and Fi, I was going to call you and tell you not to go to the loft. Mike booby trapped it so we didn't have to worry about someone breaking in while we go get him a new phone and do some surveillance at Carlito's."

"Have him call me when he gets his number. Oh, and tell him we like his plan. We're already working on it."

"Really?" Sam's eyebrow rose. "Why don't I put you on speaker phone?" He hit a button and held the phone between the front bucket seats. "Okay, Fi, shoot."

"If only I could at this moment," Fiona muttered. "Michael, Yvette and I are getting ready to put your plan into action."

"I just thought of something," Sam broke into the conversation. "I wonder if she's seen Eve with us or heard her voice on one of those bugs? If so, there's no way she can do this! Her cover will be blown immediately!"

"No need to worry, darling," Yvette replied in her clipped English accent. "Kathleen Waverly, at your service. Fiona is dying me auburn as we speak. It's quite the fetching shade."

Sam grumbled from the back seat. "We haven't even discussed this yet!"

Fiona replied, "It's too late now, Sam. In about fifteen more minutes, Kathleen will be ready to meet the stalker at Carlito's."

"Have you even figured out how you're going to get her attention, Eve?"

"I can't tell you that. It would spoil the fun." She laughed lightly, while Sam scowled. She continued in her normal voice, which he had to admit did sound quite different from her alter ego's. "Seriously, honey, I know what I'm doing."

"Where are you going to be during all this, Fi," Michael asked as he parked in a space across from the shopping center where he intended to buy his new phone.

"I'll save us a table. See you soon!"

While Michael conducted his transaction, Jack and Sam stuck close as they surveyed the area around them, trying not to look too suspicious as they did so. Sam caught Jack's eye and shook his head subtly. Jack responded with the same. They increased the space between themselves and their friend and continued sweeping the perimeter.

"Okay, how do we know she's going to be at Carlito's when we arrive," Jack asked when they got back into the car and drove the short distance to their favorite watering hole and meeting place.

"We don't. If we got all her bugs, she'll definitely be in the dark now," Michael replied. "But she took off work, she called me and has probably been trying over and over to get me back on the old number in order to triangulate where I am. I'm betting on her being there, because the only other place she could have shown up was at the loft. For some reason she didn't stay there all night or try to get in. I think she still wants to try to reach me in public."

"But yet she's limited in what she can do with people around," Jack said as he shook his head and ran a finger along his lower lip. "There are too many things up in the air right now. I'm not feeling too good about this plan."

"You and me both, Jack. Eve is taking a big risk here," Sam agreed.

"Sam, you remember how well she did with Vargas, and that was a pretty hairy situation," Michael reminded him gently. "She'll do fine. We're going to be right there."

"I just have a bad feeling about this whole thing," Sam muttered from the back seat.

Michael parked across the street from Carlito's and they got out. Fiona already sat at a table waiting with drinks for everyone, wearing a confident smile as she spied them. Sam glanced around but he didn't see Yvette. A little rush of panic crept up from his stomach as he scanned the crowd again, afraid that something had happened. But then Fiona wouldn't be looking so relaxed if it had. Still, that didn't appease him. As they entered the patio area, he saw Yvette wearing shorts and a tan hawaiian shirt with red parrots on it. Her eyes were covered with big sunglasses, but when she looked up from her magazine and met his eyes, she smiled seductively at him. He knew the shape of that mouth and the curve of her cheeks when she smiled, but the hair...it was cut to just below her shoulders and blazed in a rich auburn that looked good on her. Real good. His own smile widened and he winked at her. She shimmied in her seat, setting her curls on fire in the sunlight, and went back to her magazine, watching the crowd over it.

They spent over an hour hanging out, drinking, and trying to keep the conversation light. All the while the four of them kept an eye out on the space in front of them, effectively covering all four corners of the establishment. Sam had his back to Yvette so she would be less of a distraction and he could keep his mind on the game. Yet he couldn't stop worrying about her. His anxiety showed when he saw Marlo hiding behind the palm fronds. Fiona sat across from him and she put her hand up to her ear.

Fiona spoke softly. "Yvette says she sees Marlo. She's here."

"Yeah, I see her too," Sam replied softly. "What's Eve going to do now?"

With a nod and a purse of her lips, Fiona replied. "I just gave her the signal. She's going to slowly make her way over to Marlo and engage her in conversation."

"That's awfully bold, Fi," Michael said. He turned slightly as Yvette passed close behind him, but not too close. When he felt her eyes on him, he turned completely and looked up. The sultry look on her face, and the way she pulled her sunglasses down to stare at him with her vibrant blue eyes...if she weren't a married woman, he'd think she actually wanted him. She licked her lips slowly, smiling at him, and then moved away. The sunglasses were back over her eyes, but the smile was still there.

"Good luck, Yvette." Fiona spoke with a smile.

"Wow, Sam. Does she look at you like that?"

"Yeah." He grinned, a look of desire on his face as he watched her walk casually toward Marlo.

Michael shook his head and grinned. "No wonder..."

"Guys, check it out. Yvette's made contact with our stalker." Jack glanced at an angle that was away from their target, but he could see her with Yvette.

The two women were in the middle of an animated conversation. Fiona's smile was growing by the second.

"Are you listening in, Fi?" Michael asked.

She nodded "And I'm getting everything on tape. The first session of the Michael Westen Admiration Society is in session." She actually giggled softly. "Yvette approached her and Marlo remarked how she flirted with Michael and she wished she had that kind of nerve. It just got better from there."

It was all Sam could do to stay still. "So what's going on?"

"Shhh, wait. She's talking. Marlo is telling Yvette about her plan." Her face fell and she shook her head slowly. "I can't believe she's this stupid. She's telling Yvette that she wants to get rid of anyone who stands in her way between herself and Michael." She blinked and pressed the earpiece closer to her head, as if that would change what she was hearing. "Yvette is going right along with it, volunteering to help her."

"Good girl, Yvette," Michael whispered.

"Mike..."

"Sam, she's got an in with this woman, playing like she's as obsessed with me as Marlo is. They'll probably be joined at the hip for awhile until the woman's plan goes into action."

Sam leaned forward and spoke so only the occupants at the table could hear. "Great. How are we going to communicate with her to let her know what to do to stop Marlo?"

"We'll have to continue to monitor them and call her when we have countermeasures set up."

Sighing, Sam leaned back in his chair, his leg jiggling underneath the table. He took a long swallow of his beer. "I don't like this, Mike. Not one bit."

"We're past the point of no return, Axeman. Better get used to it."

"Thanks, Jack. You're a big help."

Jack sat back and drank down the last of his beer. He was hurt by the short tone in his friend's voice, but he understood why it was there. If this were Sasha, he would probably be feeling the same things and be worried sick that something would go wrong. There were always uncertainties in even the best laid plans, but when the suspect was calling the shots and you had to take a reactive stance, it wasn't easy to keep cool. All they could do was watch things unfold and trust that Yvette could handle herself.

They noticed that Marlo and Yvette were now seated at a table talking. Marlo said something and Yvette laughed like they were old friends and getting along just fine. "Fi, do you think Yvette can keep Marlo busy long enough for us to get out of here?"

"I'm sure she can."

"Good." He reached out for her hand. "Jack, Sam, you two stay here and keep an eye on them. Fi and I are going to take a little walk, just to see what they do. If they get up and follow, keep at a safe distance behind. If they stay, just hang out until they leave." He dropped his keys on the table. "In case you need wheels."

"Okay, you got it, Mike." Sam and Jack watched Michael and Fiona get up and walk away. He called out, "Talk to you later, brother!"

Michael responded with a wave, and he and Fiona walked up the street toward the beach, hand in hand, right in front of Marlo and Yvette. Sam and Jack watched the reaction on the woman's face. One second she was smiling at something Yvette said, and the next, she frowned, morphing into an evil scowl. Her laser glare bored into Fiona's back. Yvette placed a hand on her shoulder as Marlo turned around to watch them walk away. When Marlo turned back to Yvette, Sam could read her lips.

"Crap. Fiona better watch her back."

"Yeah. I've got a feeling that Fiona is first on Marlo's hit list."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Sam's phone rang, and when he looked at the caller ID, he didn't know the number. Still, he answered it because he hoped that maybe it would be Yvette. He tried calling home, but no one picked up, and he was starting to worry. "Hello?"

"Sam, it's me."

"Oh, Eve, thank God," he breathed. "Where are you, honey?"

"I'm staying in a motel near Marlo's apartment."

"What? Are you crazy?" He was still at the loft, so when Sam choked out his exclamation, three sets of eyes were on him. "Who's watching the kids?"

"Sasha's got them at her house. Don't worry, they're fine." She spoke to him in soft tones. "After Mike and Fi left Carlito's, Marlo wanted to follow them. I told her she should play it cool, give them a little head start, and then go. So we did. And did you and Jack follow us?"

"Yeah. We lost you guys somewhere, though." The frustration he felt at the time came rising to a head again. "Where'd you go?"

"Marlo pulled me into an alley because she knew you guys were there. After that we hung out all afternoon at the mall. She's working on a plan to take out Fiona first, then you and Jack. It doesn't sound like she's planning on doing anything to Lucas, thank God." She paused and took a breath. "Sam, I don't know why she trusted me so quickly. I've got a bad feeling about it. But don't worry, I'll keep my guard up."

"I know you will, sweetheart. I'm just worried about how unstable Margo is."

"She's crazy, Sam. But she's also frighteningly intelligent."

He was afraid of that. "Did she go into detail on what she planned to do?"

"Well, not really. But she did say that Fiona had better watch when she picks her car up at the shop tomorrow. That's all she would say." She paused. "I'm sorry I couldn't get much more out of her. It's like she's giving me enough to satisfy some desire to be accepted or praised, yet at the same time she's afraid of putting all her cards on the table and getting caught."

"I think you're right. Do you two have plans tomorrow?"

"She said she had to make an appearance at work in the morning, but after lunch we would begin the slash and burn campaign, as she put it," Yvette replied with a tone of disgust. "Sam, I know where she lives. It's a secured building, but I have no doubt you could get in if you tried. If you're up pretty early, and you happen to walk down Southwest 1st Court, near 15th, you'll find a four story building. Her apartment is 2B. She said she leaves for work at seven."

He nodded and smiled as he jotted down the address. "Yeah, I think we could be up for an early stroll. Just stay where you're at for now, and keep buddying up to Marlo."

"Okay, but...what do I do if she starts...committing mayhem on our friends?"

"Take her down, Eve. Just take her down and disable her so she can be arrested. I know it's not easy to think about, but we need her to act or it's all just our word against hers." He glanced at Fiona and Michael, who sat on the bed watching him with concerned expressions. Jack hit the sack early, still wiped out from the beating.

"I know, honey. I hope I don't have to do this for too long."

"We should have this wrapped up in a day or two, the minute she does something." He walked out onto the balcony and sat on the stairs to the roof. "It's going to be okay, as long as you keep your head about you and keep an eye on her."

"Until I called you, I lay here running through my head everything you, Michael and Fi ever taught me." She laughed nervously. "It's better than what's on the television, and it kept my mind off the kids." Her voice softened as she said, "But it only made me miss you more."

"Awwww, Eve. I miss you too. I love you, and it really bothers me that you have to put yourself in harm's way like this. If there was any other way..."

"Other than the fact that I have to spend time with a crazy woman, I don't mind it, really. I feel like I'm paying back Michael and Fiona for all they've done for us." Silence passed between them and she said, "I should probably hang up and try to get some sleep. We've got a big day tomorrow...friends to maim and do unspeakable things to..." Her voice cracked. "Good night, Sam. I love you."

"Night, Eve. Love you too." Sam let out a ragged sigh and tapped the edge of his phone against his forehead. _If there was any other way..._

A sound of gravel crunching below the balcony got his attention. He stuffed his phone into his pocket and stood, lightly stepped to the edge and peered over the short wall. Someone was down there, but they were just a shadowy figure. He heard breathing, rapid and shallow. Like someone had been running, and they were taking cover to avoid being caught in the glow from the streetlight and the neon lights from the club downstairs. There was no way to climb down from the balcony. Just jump. But Sam wasn't about to risk a broken ankle or worse on the off chance that it was really something innocent, versus Marlo lying in wait for her first victim.

Sam stood in place, having a revelation. Before, she let two hired pairs of fists do her work, but now, she intended to take care of things herself. That's what she told Yvette. Something happened to make her want to escalate so quickly. He gave the area around the balcony one last look, taking a risk as he bent over until he could see a little space underneath. The shadow was still there, but it was two, not one, in the throes of passion, leaning against a tree. He shook his head and went back inside.

"I'm going to give Jesse a call and see if he's got anything yet." He kept walking to the office and parked himself on the couch as he waited for Jesse to answer.

"Yo, Sam," Jesse answered cheerfully. "I figured you'd be giving me a call tonight."

"So? Do you have anything?" He was too tired for pleasantries. He just wanted to get this whole thing over with.

"I did some digging into Cade Industries personnel files and found Marlo Caruso, except she goes by Marlo Culpepper at her employer's. So either she's recently married or divorced, or one of those last names is an alias." He paused and let out a breath. "Anyway, being armed with her prints made it easy to match, and that tube of lipstick was loaded with them. I've got all the results in a file that I e-mailed to you along with the pics. In a few weeks our lab will have the DNA, just in time to lock the lid down on this one."

"Thanks, Jesse. It's nice to know that this is a one-woman show. She's completely nuts, I'd hate to think she had an accomplice." He stretched himself out on the couch and continued. "Tomorrow we're going to check out her apartment. Mike is going to cover Fi as she goes to the repair shop, because Marlo told Eve that she'd better watch out when she gets the car."

"Ah, you've got Yvette working with you too?"

"I don't like it, but we needed someone to get close to her. The thing that scares me is how easily she took Eve into her confidence. I keep hoping it's not some kind of trap." He shook his head, trying to free all the things he was thinking. "Well, I'll let you go. I've got to get up pretty early tomorrow to check out that apartment."

"Take care, man."

"I will. Thanks for all your help, Jesse."

As he drifted off to sleep, Sam ran the scenario in his head. He and Jack would get to Marlo's apartment before she left for work, wait until she pulled out, and give her a few minutes to get away before breaking in. He knew those apartments, and they had balconies for each unit. Instead of going in through the secured door, they would bring ropes and climb up to the balcony. The climbing part would be a lot harder than getting through the sliding glass door, but if Jack was up for it, he wasn't worried. He wasn't sure what they'd find, but he hoped it would be something to put the last piece of the puzzle in place. Then it would just be a matter of her getting caught in the act.

"Fi, I'm going with you to pick up the car," Michael said the next morning as everyone prepared to go their separate ways. Jack and Sam were packing up ropes and harnesses, and they barely paid attention to the conversation.

"But Michael, she wants you. If you're there, she won't try anything."

"And that's the point. Now is not the time for it, Fi. I don't want her doing anything until we're set up for her. Sam, do you have a number that I can use to reach Yvette?"

"Sure, Mike." He pulled out his phone and gave him the phone number at her motel. "She also gave me a burn phone number."

Michael saved the numbers on his phone and dialed the motel first. There was no answer. Then he tried the burn phone, and she picked up on the third ring. "Yvette, it's Michael."

"Well good morning, darling! I was wondering if I'd ever hear from you," Yvette answered in her accent.

Michael knew then that she wasn't alone. "Yvette, is she with you?"

"Of course, dear. I'm still at the motel, but I'll be out and about soon. What did you want?"

"Just answer yes or no." He looked up and saw Sam's eyes locked on him, an expression of concern on his face. "Is she really going to work?"

"Yes."

"Is she planning on stopping at the repair shop on the way?"

"I believe so."

"Does she have any explosive devices or a detonator?"

Yvette paused before answering. "Okay, she just walked out for a cigarette. I don't know what she has, Michael. It may be in her car. All I know is that she wants me to go to the boardwalk and wait for her. She said she would only be a couple hours at work, but I've got this suspicion that she's not really going there. She'll probably try to take care of Fiona at the shop and then go looking for Sam and Jack. I...can't talk." The connection suddenly was lost.

Michael gritted his teeth as he looked at the phone. During the conversation, Sam gravitated to his side and now stood next to him. "What's going on, Mike?"

"Yvette is at the motel with Marlo. She doesn't know if Marlo has a detonator or any explosive devices. She may have already planted it, or will plant it. Yvette just knows she was told to meet her at the boardwalk in a couple of hours."

"She wants Eve out of the way while she does her dirty work. No audience, so no one can pin it on her." He shook his head in disbelief. "She is smart."

"I'm guessing she has a long range detonator or an ignition switch on the car."

"I'd bet on the detonator," Sam said. "She's gotten to the point where she wants to do this herself. An ignition switch would be too...impersonal."

"You've got a point, Sam." Michael let out a sigh and glanced at his watch. "We better get a move on."

"Yeah, since Marlo isn't at the apartment, we have free reign. Ready to go, Jack?"

"Yep. Let's do it!"

Sam parked the car in the next block and they hustled through the alley to get to the apartment building. They weren't sure which side Marlo's apartment was on, but she wound up giving them a little help.

"Sam, look, it's her!" Jack pointed through the bushes to a figure standing on a balcony on the second floor. "It's Marlo! How'd she get here so fast?"

She finished up a cigarette and threw the butt down into the alley, then turned and entered the apartment. She locked the door, and not long after she left the building and drove away in her old car. With her place on the alley, the chances of being seen went down dramatically.

"Let's give her a few more minutes before we go in," Sam said.

They watched an old woman shuffle to the dumpster and throw her garbage in, and then she headed back to the building.

"Hey, let's just follow the old lady," Jack whispered and carefully pushed through the bushes.

"Jack..." Sam growled, but he followed.

The lady hesitated when Jack grabbed the open door for her, but his disarming smile put her at ease and she mumbled her thanks as she passed through. Jack and Sam followed inside, carefully skirting the security camera so they wouldn't be easily identifiable. They took the stairs to the second floor, found Marlo's apartment, and within seconds, Sam had the door unlocked. He chuckled low.

"Haven't picked a lock that easy in a long time."

They entered the apartment and found it sparsely furnished but neat. Jack searched the living room while Sam checked the bedroom. Inside he found a bed, a dresser, and a desk. The desk was his first stop. He was about to pull out the center drawer when he noticed a thin braided cord hanging from the corner. It could be coincidence, or a sign for her indicating if someone had searched the drawer. If it was the latter, something good was inside. He carefully held onto the cord to keep it in place and pulled out the drawer.

Inside, he found a manila file folder, which he lay on the desktop and opened. Inside were pictures and articles about cases that were solved under mysterious circumstances in the Miami area. Michael wasn't mentioned in any of them, but at the top of each one she'd written his name. Sam knew these cases, because he was there when they were closed. The pictures were all of Michael, taken with a telephoto lens. In one, Sam caught the edge of his own shirt brushing against Michael's arm, but the rest of him had been cut away with a scissors.

He put the folder back and carefully closed the drawer, keeping the cord in the same place where he found it. He checked the night stand and found a journal inside. Within each page, Marlo wrote about her love for Michael and how some day they would be together. Her fantasies were detailed, steamy, and too hot for Sam to keep reading. Instead, he pulled out a scanner and scanned the pages.

"Sam, you about ready to go?" Jack appeared in the doorway.

"Yeah, looks like I hit the motherlode here with this journal. I'm just about done scanning it." He finished the last page, closed the book and laid it in the drawer exactly as he found it. "Okay, let's get out of here."

They hurried down the hall toward the living room. Jack took a step in the archway leading to the room and felt something crack under the carpeting. He glanced at Sam, a puzzled expression on his face. That was the last thing he saw. They never knew what hit them as the colorless, odorless gas booby trap took them down in the hall. Sam's phone rang. It was Michael, but Sam wouldn't pick up.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

"Fiona, Michael! How y'all today?"

"We're fine, Kenny. I've come for my car," Fiona replied with a smile for her favorite mechanic. Fiona liked to do most of the work herself, but these days with a small child, it wasn't as easy to take the time to do it. "Did you take care of that rattling?"

"Oh yeah, it was just a loose tie rod. Got that all fixed up for ya. I, uh, took it out for a quick drive this morning, just to make sure it could…take the curves, if you know what I mean." Kenny winked at her. He knew the kind of stress their vehicles took when it came to pursuing or being pursued. "I heard something funny, so I brought it back in and put it up on the hoist." As he talked, he led them to the garage, where Fiona's Saab still sat up in the air. "I found this. Thought y'all might wanna take care of that."

A small packet of C4 was taped to the undercarriage near the gas tank. "If it wasn't such a slipshod job, I'd think it was mine. It's packed like I would do it, but...it's in a bad spot," she said. "Michael, it's got a remote detonator on it."

"Get out of here now, Fi. I'll take care of it."

She stood with a hand on her hip and look that said he shouldn't get all chivalrous on her. "Michael, I can handle it."

"Don't worry, Marlo won't blow me up. I'm the love of her life, remember?" He gave her a quirky grin.

Even though he had a point, Fiona looked less than amused. She took Kenny's arm and led him out of the garage. "You might want to stay a safe distance away, Kenny. Michael is good, but…you never know."

They watched from the parking lot as Michael quickly and efficiently disabled the bomb and removed it from the underside of the car. He brought it outside and held it up. Seconds later, he heard tires squealing on pavement. "Fi…." He glanced at Kenny. "We'll be back for the car." He tossed the C4 at the mechanic and ran for the Charger. Kenny bobbled it in panic and let the harmless bomb drop to the pavement.

Michael raced down the street toward Marlo's apartment while he hoped that Sam and Jack were gone by now, but in case they weren't... Michael tapped his earpiece. "Call Sam." He waited in vain. "He's not picking up, Fi."

"What if she had a booby trap waiting for them?"

He didn't want to think about that. "I know a short cut, maybe we can beat Marlo there if she gets stuck at the light on 15th." He took a sharp turn into an alley, hit several side streets, and pulled up to the back of the apartment building. Marlo's car was nowhere to be seen. He parked behind some dumpsters, and he and Fiona ran to the building. He kept watch while Fiona handily picked the lock. Then they tore up the stairs to Marlo's apartment, their pounding feet echoing in the hall. As they reached the door, it opened and Sam and Jack stumbled out.

"Hey Mike, Fi." Sam looked at them, confused, as he took deep breaths and held up the wall opposite the door. "What are you guys doing here?"

"I tried calling you but you didn't pick up. What happened?"

"She planted a small canister of knockout gas under the carpet and Jack stepped on it," Sam coughed.

"Caught us by complete surprise," Jack added as he also coughed.

Fiona was feeling lightheaded, so she reached out and slammed the door. They were now all in the apartment hall, and Marlo still had not returned. "Michael, she should have been here by now."

"Maybe she's in flight mode since we threw off her plan." He turned to his friends and explained, "We went to get Fi's car and the mechanic found a bomb underneath it. I disabled it, and Marlo took off. We thought she was coming here, and when I couldn't get you, Sam...we got here as fast as we could."

"So she could be anywhere now," Sam said hoarsely. Then he coughed again.

"We better get you two some oxygen," Michael said as he grabbed Sam's arm and led him toward the exit.

"I'm fine. Jack's fine. We just need…some fresh air."

They stepped out into the sunshine and the two men took in huge gulps of air until they stopped coughing and were nearly hyperventilating. Michael and Fiona waited patiently, scanning the area around them, but still Marlo didn't show.

"You guys okay now?"

"Yeah, I'm good. Sam?"  
>"Yeah. We've gotta find Marlo."<p>

They got in the car and Michael drove them back to the garage so Fiona could pick up her car. After she paid for the repairs, Kenny held out the keys and Michael snatched the ring before she could take it. She glared at him. "Michael, what are you doing?"

He handed the keys to Sam. "I want you riding with me. Sam and Jack can take the Saab, and we'll bring up the rear."

"But where are we going," Jack asked. He glanced at Michael, wondering if he even knew.

"Uhoh, I just had a thought. Marlo is supposed to meet Eve on the boardwalk in..." He glanced at his watch. "In about ten minutes!"

"We're going to the boardwalk," Mike said calmly and turned toward the Charger with Fiona in pursuit. She pulled open the door, gave Sam and Jack a quick glance, and got in.

Sam hit the power locks, and he and Jack got into Fiona's car. He could barely fit his knees under the dash. "How the...how does she drive it like this? Jeez!" He started the car as he pressed the button to move the seat back just far enough so he could drive without cramping his legs. As he pealed out of the parking lot he put on his seatbelt then adjusted the mirror until he saw the Charger behind him. "Jack, are you armed?"

"No, but I'm sure Fi's gotta have an arsenal in the trunk."

"Always," Sam replied with a grin. "If she doesn't, I'll be seriously shocked."

The light ahead turned amber, and Sam punched it to make it through. Michael slid through as it turned red.

"Atta boy, Mike," Jack said as he looked over his shoulder to see if the Charger was still there.

"Oh crap." Sam jammed on the brakes to avoid hitting someone crossing the street. Michael stopped, barely in time. "Jaywalkers!" He quickly stepped on the gas and got up to speed again. They made it through the next light with no trouble, and he saw Yvette standing beside a long cement wall, pulling a tendril of hair away from her face. She waited for Marlo, scanning the people all around her. He was going so fast, Sam passed her before he put on the brakes and skidded into an angled parking space. Michael parked a couple of cars away.

Sam was out first. He stepped up onto the curb, ready to run to Yvette. She appeared to be safe, but with the psycho woman on the loose, who knew. The only certain thing was that he needed to get to her, to warn her that Marlo was not happy, and to watch out. Her unpredictability could only get worse.

"Sam, no!" Michael barked and suddenly he stood beside Sam and gripped his arm. "You'll blow her cover. Stay back here, and if Marlo shows and sees us, she'll think..."

"What? What will she think, Mike? She's gonna know that we're all in this together, including Eve, if she doesn't already." Sam pulled out of his grasp.

"She's here."

Marlo pulled her car into a spot near Yvette and got out so quickly, she lost her footing and slammed into the car next to hers. She threw the door shut and raced to Yvette. Marlo wept, and when she reached Yvette, her knees buckled. Yvette talked to her, a gentle expression mixed with sympathy on her face, as she led Marlo to the short wall. They sat on it together.

"I wish we could hear what she's saying," Sam muttered.

"We can't get closer," Michael responded as he pulled Sam back behind a large SUV parked next to Fiona's car.

"If she starts something, we're too far away to help Eve!"

"She's not going to do anything right now, Sam," Fiona spoke calmly. "She's too focused on her plans being ruined. She hoped to blow me up with a pack of C4 under my car. She wanted to kill you two with that gas, but that failed."  
>"Maybe she just wanted us down for awhile, just long enough to get back to the apartment and finish us off," Jack suggested. He crouched and peered around the front end of the vehicle. "We've got surprise on our side right now. We should storm in and grab her."<p>

"Too risky."

"So, what are we gonna do, Mike, just stand around here all day while Marlo has a bawl fest out there," Sam asked, his frustration rising. He smacked his fist into his hand. "Let's just get it over with. She's vulnerable, easy pickin's."

"You think so?" They turned and found Marlo standing between the SUV and the Saab's trunk. She aimed a semi-automatic handgun at them. "You really thought you could outwit me, didn't you. You forget, I learned from the best." She glanced at Michael. She held something in her right hand and pulled on it, and suddenly Yvette stood next to her. The barrel pointed into her side. "Nice try with the decoy, or whatever you wanted her to be. I saw that one coming from a mile away."

"What do you want, Marlo," Michael asked softly, holding up his hands slowly so she could see he wasn't holding a weapon.

"I...I want you, Michael. Why can't you see that?" Her brows knit together as her eyes teared up. "I've loved you for a long time, ever since I figured out it was you who was doing all these wonderful things all over town, stopping the scum from polluting our city with crime. With our combined intelligence, we could take on more bad guys and clean up these streets. And I would love you better than anyone." Her face contorted into a look of distain as she gazed at Fiona. "Even her."

"Marlo, I'm sure you mean well, but killing my friends...my wife...isn't the way to go about things! You're just perpetuating the cycle of crime."

"No," Marlo shook her head vigorously. "No, sometimes you have to do bad things to get rid of the trash. When it's gone, everything will be good."

Suddenly, Jack sprung out from behind the SUV and grabbed Marlo in a chokehold. She let go of Yvette, who jumped into Sam's arms, and he pulled her around the front of the vehicle to get her out of harm's way. Marlo was still armed and a shot went wild, hitting the back passenger window of the SUV, shattering it. She used Jack as leverage to swing herself up and then down to her feet, catching him off balance enough to flip him over her back. He landed hard on the pavement.

Michael and Fiona took cover behind the concrete wall and aimed at her. She shot at them, to everyone's surprise. Up until that point, they all thought Michael was immune from her wrath, but her perceived affection for him no longer mattered. She fired again and a bullet grazed his temple. It was barely a flesh wound, but Michael played it for all it was worth. He cried out and fell back into the sand. Fiona screamed and disappeared behind the wall, presumably to check on Michael.

"Oh no, what have I done?" Marlo cried out and put a hand over her mouth.

Jack recovered enough to reach for her legs, but she kicked him hard and sent him rolling into the side of Fiona's car. He lay unmoving. Sam braved a peek around the front of the SUV and she took a shot at him. Then she turned and ran across the street, narrowly missing being run over by a sports car.

"Stay here, Eve," Sam ordered gruffly as he popped the trunk with the remote and grabbed a gun out of Fiona's car. Then he ran after her. She had a quarter of a block lead, but she wasn't fast enough to keep up the pace for long. People saw her waving the gun wildly and moved out of the way, making it easier for her, but Sam was not going to give up his pace.

He wasn't completely recovered from the gas, although it seemed like it when he first took the chase. But as they got farther and farther away from the location of their confrontation, his lungs burned and he fought for breath. She turned into an alley that he knew was a dead end at the back of a hotel, and he sent up a little prayer of thanks. Her sneakers skidded to a stop, and suddenly she had nowhere to go but up.

Sam's chest heaved and he coughed out the last of the poison in his system. He fought to keep himself from bending over, because then she would have the upper hand. "Okay...get...get down...on your knees." He urged her to kneel, but she stood silently, holding her ground, her cold eyes daring him to try to make her obey. Feet pounded on the pavement.

"We're in the alley!" Somehow he got that out.

Marlo looked skyward, bent her knees, and leaped straight up. She missed the bottom rung on the fire escape ladder, but before anyone could reach her, she tried again and grabbed it with one hand. Sam stepped up to her, and she kicked at him. She missed. He grabbed her leg, and she hauled the other one around so it slammed into the side of his head with such force, he went down hard. She smiled, but there was no time for her to claim victory. Michael and Fiona approached from the street, and the man she loved looked at her with hatred in his eyes. She realized then that she'd ruined everything. Nothing mattered anymore but getting away.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Michael reached for the ladder and found the latch to bring it down with a clatter. He took the lead and Fiona backed him up. Sam was only dazed, so he brought up the rear, hanging onto each rung for dear life as the world shifted crazily with every movement. Michael and Fiona were two floors up by the time he reached the fire escape stairs. Ahead of them, Marlo kept going upward. She didn't stop until she reached the last floor, and a locked fire door prevented her from going any further. She pulled on it frantically, then banged on the metal with the butt of her gun.

"Marlo, you're trapped! You've got nowhere to go," Michael called to her as he and Fiona hit the landing below. He held out his hands and gave her a small smile. "Come on, I know you don't really want to hurt anyone. You just wanted to be with me."

"But I can't. I can't have you, ever." The tears were real this time. Her eyes widened as Michael took a step, and she held out a hand as she backed up against the railing. "No! If you come closer, I'll jump. I will!"

"We don't want you to do that, Marlo. Please, just settle down, come with us, and we'll talk. We'll get you some help." He shifted his foot.

"No!" Marlo leaned back far enough to tilt her body over the rail.

"Nooooo!" Michael yelled as he and Fiona stood gaping at her falling.

Marlo screamed, but it stopped far too early for her to have hit the pavement.

"Woah! Mike! Hey, can you give me a hand here?"

Michael rushed down to the next floor, where he found Sam bent over the rail, his feet hooked into the bottom of it as he held Marlo by one hand. She swung in the air, looking up at Sam with terror in her eyes, too scared to even breathe.

"Hang on, Sam."

"I'm...trying. She's slipping!" He reached out with his other hand and grabbed her upper arm just below the elbow. "I think I can pull her up a little."

"Good job, okay, I've got her other arm." Together, they were able to pull Marlo up and over the rail. She collapsed to the grating as she hung onto the two, taking them to their knees.

Marlo shook as if she'd been pulled from an icy lake. She stared straight ahead, and then up at them. The look of gratefulness partnered with sheer hopelessness in her eyes.

"Think she can walk down," Sam asked.

"No. She's pretty much helpless," Michael replied. He put his arm around her waist and tried to get her to her feet, but she wouldn't budge.

"Mike, maybe she's afraid of heights."

"Is that it, Marlo? Are you afraid of heights?" She still shook uncontrollably, but her head nodded slightly. "I've got an idea. Sam, give me your shirt."

At first, he gave Michael and odd look, then a spark of discernment appeared in his eyes. He nodded, took off his hawaiian shirt, twisted it into a blindfold, and tied it around her eyes. "Okay, Marlo. It's okay now. We'll help you get down to the ground. Are you ready?" He spoke to her as if she were one of his kids afraid of the dark. He was rewarded with a nod. "Alright, let's get you on your feet."

She stood between Michael and Sam, and her hands reached out, touching their chests. She grabbed hold of Sam's undershirt and wouldn't let go. Michael raised an eyebrow. Sam shook his head. _Don't even go there, Mikey!_ The last thing he needed was for Marlo to transfer her misguided affections to him. The stairs were too narrow to take her down between them, so Sam had no choice, he led Marlo with Michael behind her. Fiona kept watch from the back, in case this was another game. As they slowly descended the stairs, it became apparent that the woman had completely lost what little sanity she had left. A few minutes ago she was trying to kill them. Now she depended upon them to lead her to safety.

They arrived at the bottom of the staircase and found a small crowd of spectators and police waiting below. Sam and Michael each took one of Marlo's arms and lowered her down to the waiting officers. They wasted no time in handcuffing her and leading her to a squad car. When Sam's feet hit the pavement, a female officer smiled and held something out to him.

"I believe this is yours."

He picked up the shirt and shook it out. "Thanks." It was a little wrinkled, but after all he'd been through so far today, it wasn't bad. No doubt the bruising from Marlo's kick would look a lot worse.

"Sam! Are you okay?" Yvette pushed her way through the crowd and drove herself into his body.

His arms wrapped around her tightly as he kissed her passionately, not caring who saw. When he came up for air, he said with a smile, "I'm fine. And you?"

"Really glad this whole nightmare is over!" She kissed him the way he kissed her and left a trail down his neck.

"Hey you two, get a room, will ya," Michael teased as he and Fiona passed with their arms around each other.

"Guess we got told," Sam said with a chuckle. "Come on, let's go get the debrief with the cops over with, and then we can go home. I can't wait to see the kids!"

"I was hoping that we'd get a little...alone time...before they came home," Yvette said as she nestled into his embrace and walked past the onlookers. "I almost lost you. Again." She let out a breath. "I know it makes me more grateful that you're still with us, but Sam, if this keep up, I'm going to go crazy with worry any time you leave the house!"

"I wish I could promise this won't happen again, but it's just a risk we have to take."

"You were safer in a classroom full of hoodlums."

Sam laughed. "Yeah, you're probably right. Are you saying you want me to retire and go back to teaching? Only, full time?"

"I don't know, Sam! I just...I just want some peace and quiet in our lives for awhile."

They reached the street and approached Michael and Fiona, who were being interviewed by a detective. "We'll work on that. Maybe we can take the kids camping over Thanksgiving break."

"That would be an...interesting...way to spend the holiday. I've never gone camping before." She smiled. "I think the kids will love it. They haven't had a chance to get enamored with technology to the point where they think they can't live without it."

"We'll talk about it tonight."

They endured the questions from the detective, and afterward went back to the cars. Jack sat on the wall, his head bandaged up and a paramedic trying to convince him to let them take him to the hospital.

"Are you kidding? I'd rather walk, it'll save me the money. No, seriously, the hospital is like, what about six blocks or so that way?" He pointed west.

"You're not walking," Michael exclaimed. "Sam will drive you in Fi's car, and when you're all patched up, we'll meet at the loft. Okay?"

"Sure. Whatever."

Yvette got into the back seat and let Jack sit up front with Sam.

Michael came around and leaned on the open driver's side window. "Sam, you better get yourself checked out too. You got kicked in the head pretty good, and your lungs from that gas..."

"Yeah, don't worry. We'll get a checkup and we'll be at the loft by supper time. I hope Fi makes something good."

"Ha! We're getting takeout," she called from where she stood next to the Charger.

"It better not be that sushi crap!"

She grinned. "You'll just have to wait and see." Then she slipped into the passenger seat.

"See you later, Mike."

"Yeah, Sam."

"Be careful that you don't do anything to pick up any more groupies, okay? I don't think we can take it." Sam started the car and put it in reverse. He waved and backed out of the space.

"I have no control over other people!" He called out to the retreating vehicle and let out a deep sigh.

"Michael! Let's get out of here, please? I called Sasha, and she's going to meet us at the loft with the kids!"

"Coming, Fi."

He got in the car, started it, and didn't say a word all the way to the restaurant where they picked up dinner for everyone. He was drained and didn't really even feel like eating, but they all needed the time to spend together, to absorb what happened, and appreciate that they were still in one piece. Sometimes, that fact brought the greatest satisfaction after a mission.

But for Michael, it was more than that. He couldn't wait to get home and see his family and Sam's back together again.


End file.
